Splicing of textile strands



Oct. 29, 1968 |Rw|N ET AL 3,407,583

SPLICING OF TEXTILE STRANDS Filed June 12, 1967 A TiduP/VEYI UnitedStates Patent 3,407,583 SPLICING 0F TEXTILE STRANDS Malcolm F. Irwin,Philadelphia, and Frederick J. E.

Hampel, East Grecnville, Pa., assignors to Techniservice Corporation,Lester, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Continuation-impart ofapplication Ser. No. 609,463,

Jan. 16, 1967. This application June 12, 1967, Ser.

11 Claims. (Cl. 57-22) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Textile strands arespliced in an elongated chamber open at both ends and having a conduitfor directing fluid, such as air, into the chamber to create a rotatingair current and thereby swirl the component filaments into engagementwith one another. The fluid is admitted to the conduit through anadjustable valve means.

This invention relates to splicing of textile strands composed of aplurality of filaments, i.e., multifilament strands. The strands to bespliced together are overlapped, and the overlapped lengths aresubjected to fluid rotating circumferentially thereof, which swirls thecomponent filaments so that the strands will not be separated by appliedtensions. Gun type apparatus for doing so and for applying an auxiliaryadhesive agent is provided.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application,Ser. No. 609,463, filed J an. 16, 1967 now abandoned.

There is a considerable need for a simple, reliable, and cheapstrand-splicing method to replace the old-fashioned method of tying andknotting, which has its own disadvantages, being conducive to snaggingand breaking of the strands in ordinary textile processing. Some methodsfor joining or splicing textile strands together utilize solvents oractually melt component filaments and are limited to thermoplasticstrands. Fluid jet methods whereby air or the like is blown at orthrough textile strands to entangle the component filaments have beendevised also. These and other splicing methods are either so complex asto be too costly or are unreliable in their operation or results orproduce an undesirable knot-like lump.

A primary object of the present invention is provision of a method forair-splicing textile strands.

Another object is provision of gun type apparatus for practicing thatmethod.

Other objects of the present invention, together with means and methodsfor attaining the various objects, will be apparent from the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment and the accompanying diagrams.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus component useful accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of apparatus of thisinvention including the component apparatus of FIG. 1 (sectionaltransversely) and showing two strands therein about to be joined;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of two such strands on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of a portion of the apparatus ofFIG. 2, showing part thereof in alternative positions;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of the apparatus component of FIG. 1 withstrands to be joined in place;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a resulting splice of textile strands;

FIG. 7A is a sectional elevation through the splice taken at 7A7A onFIG. 6 on the same scale as FIG. 3; and

3,407,583 Patented Oct. 29, 1968 "ice FIG. 7B is a sectional elevationtherethrough taken at 7B7B on FIG. 6.

In general, the objects of the present invention are accomplished byjuxtaposing the respective strands side by side, rotating fluidcircumferentially of the juxtaposed strand lengths and thereby swirlingthe component filaments from both of the strands into an inseparablestructure. The invention provides, as means for doing so, splicingapparatus comprising a tubular chamber, open at its opposite ends, witha slot extending from one end to the opposite end and communicating withthe exterior and with the chamber interior throughout its length, andhaving a fluid inlet extending from the exterior to the chamber interiorbetween the ends.

FIG. 1 shows splicing chamber 11 in the form of a rectangularparallelepipedal block having longitudinal bore 12 from end to end andslot 13 extending along the top from end to end and communicating withbore 12 throughout. Tube 14 fits into one side of the block midway ofits ends and nearer the slotted top surface of the block than thebottom, terminating esen'tially tangentially of the cylindricalinterior. Affixed to the bottom and extending beyond the opposite endsof the block is strip 15, which has upstanding from each of its ends oneof a pair of clips 16 extending past the bore axis.

FIG. 2 shows, in side elevation and partly in section, splicer 10 ofthis invention including (in transverse section) chamber 11 of FIG. 1with two similarly sectioned strands ll, 1' shown at approximately thechamber axis. The strands are shown enlarged in FIG. 3, from which itcan be seen that each contains numerous individual filaments. The nearerclip holding the strands outside the chamber is ahead of the sectionalview in FIG. 2 and, therefore, not seen; the further clip, whichnormally would be visible at the rear, is omitted in the interest ofclarity of the showing.

The splicer includes, in addition to the chamber and its attachments,gun 21 provided with intake fitting 22 at the base of grip 23. Supplyhose 24 for air or other fluid (preferably gaseous) medium is attachedto the intake fitting. Upper adjusting nut 25 limits the inflow of theair or other gas, which is initiated by depressing pivotally mountedtrigger 20. Also carried by the gun is liquid container 31, whichthreads at its top into cap 32 aflixed to intake fitting 33 on barrel 29of the gun. Lower adjusting nut 26 limits the inflow of liquid from thecontainer to be propelled through and out the barrel by the air or othergas.

FIG. 4 shows trigger 20 of the splicer gun in three successivealternative positions: A (solid line), B (dotdashed line), and C (brokenline) corresponding, respectively, to the OFF position (no gas or liquidflowing), the BLOW position (gas only flowing) and the JET position (gasplus liquid flowing). Although the interior of the gun is not shown, aconventional paint-spray gun may be used, in which the desired actionand control are obtained by means of sliding valve elements whichprogressively move valve pistons (not shown) to uncover internal valvesin the gas and lqiuid intake lines successively, the degree thereofbeing determined by the setting of the respective adjusting nuts, whichvary the position or effective length of the valve pistons.

In the practice of this invention, as will be apparent, a plurality(usually two but more can be used) of strands are juxtaposed by beingoverlapped for a length of at least as great as the spacing betweenclips 16 and are inserted through slot 13 in the top of the blockcomprising chamber 11 until they are received by the clips, which holdthe overlapped strand lengths along substantially the axis of bore 12.With the strands thus in place the trigger is depressed from position A(OFF) to position B (BLOW) for a short time (such as a few seconds)whereupon air (or other suitable gas, such as carbon dioxide ornitrogen) under pressure is injected into the chamber from gun barrel 29through interconnecting tube 14. Rotated by the blast of gas so injectedinto the chamber, the juxtaposed strand lengths are swirled about tosuch an extent that filaments of each become interengaged with filamentsof the other.

The resulting strand structure is unitary along most of the length ofthe chamber bore inasmuch as so much interengagement of filaments occursthat the original strand identity is. lost there. Thus, FIG. 7A shows(in somewhat stylized form) a representative transverse cross-sectionthrough the splice at a location midway of the chamber ends, showing thecomponent filaments sectioned essentially end-on. The central plane, inwhich this view is taken, as indictaed on the view of the splicedstructure in FIG. 3, is also the locus of maximum rotation by the jet.At this location the structure is somewhat looser than elsewhere in thesplice, except at the ends, probably attributable to the fact that theinduced twist (more properly false twist) in the strand reverses midway.The interstices at this central location are especially amendable totake-up and retention of adhesive when used. In FIG. 7B, whichrepresents (similarly stylized) a representative transversecross-section through the splice at a location intermediate the centralportion and the end, the structure is generally similar to that shown inFIG. 7A but differs therefrom in reduced interfilament spacing,attributable at least in part to twist and interengagement of thecomponent filaments. Thus, while many and perhaps most of the filmentsat this location are also sectioned essentially end-on, many of them aresectioned along an angle other than perpendicular to the longitudinalfilament axis, resulting in more elongated or elliptical sections.

If greater splice security is desired, as with strands of relatively fewfilaments or otherwise, further manual depression of the trigger toposition C (JET) causes liquid resin to be atomized from container 31and to be propelled into the chamber by the flow of air or other gas andonto the filaments, where it solidifies to retain them in their splicedconfiguration. If desired, heat may be applied by any suitable means, asby a heating coil in the chamber, to cure the resin after application.Suitable resins will be apparent to those persons having ordinary skillin the art and may be of readily available melamine-formaldehyde,urea-formaldehyde, or epoxy type. The splice should be retained in placewith the air turned off or nearly so to avoid disturbance of thefilament configuration during curing or setting of the resin.

Whether a resin or other adhesive is applied or not, the splice isremoved from the chamber through the slot, and the unspliced ends ortails preferably are eliminated by cutting them off near their junctionwith the body of the splice. No special precautions are necessary inhandling the spliced strand during performance of normal textileoperations. The splicing process is quick and easy, and if desired thesplicing apparatus can be provided with automatic timing means (notshown), which may be adjustable for different splicing periods as forstrands of different composition, total denier; denier per filament,tension, or twist.

Unlike air-splicing methods of the prior art the present invention isespecially useful in joining strands having appreciable twist therein,i.e., more than one turn and as much as several turns per inch, as thetwist is backed out at least partially on one side from the centralplane and although it is tightened somewhat on the other side therefroma good, though perhaps unsymmetrical, splice results. Of course, itworks as well or better on strands having little or no initial twist.Nor is it necessary to increase or reduce tension in the strands to bejoined as unten sioned strands may be treated at low fluid pressures orresulting velocities, and the flow may be increased in accordance withincreasing strand tension. It often is desirable to start the fluid flowat a low pressure or rate and to increase it markedly during theformation of each splice as the swirling action takes place.

Unlike previous splicing methods, whether they 'relied upon solvent orthermal softening or air entanglement; the present invention does notproduce a relatively hard nub or knot-like structure at the center ofthe splice but provides a splice having its central or twist-reversalportion more nearly like that of the starting stnandsunless resin orother adhesive is added. The component filaments at such location arerelatively parallel and although tightening under tension are asdisengageable'or relatively loose under tension-free conditions as inthe original strands under like conditions. The splice diameter issubstantially uniform throughout.

Other advantages and benefits of practicing the present invention inaccordance with the disclosure of a pre-' ferred embodiment andmodifications therein, as suggested, will be apparent. The respectivestarting strands cannot be reconstructed from the spliced structureexcept by painstaking manual separation of the individual filaments topermit restoration of them to their original positions. Ordinary textileprocessing tensions will not separate it into the two (or more) originalstrands either. Excessive tensions may break individual filaments oreven all the filaments before separation of the splice itself.

Some modifications have been suggested above, and others may be made tothe apparatus or process of this invention, as by adding, combining, orsubdividing parts or steps, while retaining advantages and benefits ofthe invention, which itself is defined as follows.

The claimed invention:

1. Method of splicing a plurality of multifilament textile strandstogether comprising juxtaposing lengths of the respective strands sideby side, rotating fluid circumferentially of the juxtaposed strandlengths, and thereby swirling component filaments from each of thestrands together into an inseparable structure.

2. In the air-splicing of a plurality of multi-filament textile strands,the improvement comprising rotating air circumferentially about lengthsof the respective strands juxtaposed side by side. i

3. Splicer for multifilament textile strands comprising a tubularchamber, open at its opposite ends, with a slot extending from one endto the opposite end and communicating with the exterior and with thechamber interior throughout its length, and having a fluid inletextending from the exterior to the chamber interior between the ends.

4. The splicer of claim 3 wherein the fluid inlet intersects the chamberinterior essentially tangentially along the interior surface thereof.

5. The splicer of claim 4 wherein the tubular chamber and the fluidinlet have their respective longitudinal axes mutually perpendicular.

6. The splicer of claim 3 having extending beyond and in line with theopposite ends of the tubular chamber a pair of clips, one at each end,for holding the strands to be spliced.

7. The splicer of claim 3 having attached to the fluid inlet a valvemechanism for controlling the flow of fluid into the tubular chamber.

8. In splicer apparatus for joining multifilament textile strandstogether, the combination of a chamber open at its opposite ends, afluid inlet communicating transversely with the chamber interior, valvemechanism for controlling the flow of fluid through the fluid inlet intothe chamber, and a plurality of fluid sources interconnectableseparately and together to the fluid inlet, by means of the valvemechanism. I

9. The splicer apparatus of claim 8 wherein one of the fluid sourcescomprises a supply of gas andthe other lluid source comprises a liquid.v n

10. The splicer apparatus of claim 9 in pistol form References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS Bunting et al. 28-72 XR Sparling. Gonsales.

Gonsales 57-142 6 11/1966 Fletcher et a1. 28-72 2/1967 Rosenstein 57-224/1967 Alexander 57-22 XR 9/1967 Dodson et a1. 57-159 10/ 1967Gemeinhardt et a1. 57-22 FOREIGN PATENTS 4/1964 Great Britain.

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner. DONALD E. WATKINS, Assistant Examiner.

U.$. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT QFFICE Washington, D.C. 20231 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3 ,407 ,583October 29 1968 Malcolm F. Irwin et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 17, "indictaed" should read indicated line 23,"amendable" should read amenable line 61, "denier; should read denier,line 63, "art" should read art,

-; line 67, "plane" should read plane, line 72, "joined" should readjoined, Column 4, line 39, "multifilament" should read multifilamentColumn 5, lines 10 and 11, "Gonsales", each occurrence, should readGonsalves Signed and sealed this 3rd day of March 1970.

SEAL) Attest;-

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Edward M. Fletcher, J r.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer

